The Philadelphia Chapter and the GRAMMY Foundation hosted a GRAMMY SoundChecks with GRAMMY-nominated artists the Jonas Brothers on July 23. More than 50 students met at the Wachovia Center for a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of the group's 2009 international tour.
Students witnessed a crew of more than 150 workers preparing the stage for the concert while Rob Brenner, tour director, detailed the set's elaborate special effects and compared the assembly to building a house, where each crewmate plays a specific role. He said, "No matter how much time you have to prepare, it never seems like enough, but it always works out…you deal with the glitches and mistakes the best you can and make it work." Brenner advised students who have musical aspirations to keep their financial expectations grounded. "When you're planning your tour, remember: As the artist, you are the last person to get paid."
Following Brenner, the students participated in a question-and-answer session with Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas. When asked for career advice, Nick Jonas reminded students to stay humble on their journey in the music industry, and in life: "The people that helped your way up are often the same people you run into when you're on the way down...and go into it with passion and because it's what you love, not because you're looking for fans." Kevin Jonas added, "Never give up practicing, because there's always someone better. He could be winning a GRAMMY or on a street corner — but he's out there." One student asked the brothers what their dream is for their career, to which Kevin Jonas answered, "We love this, what we're doing. Being on the GRAMMYs with Stevie Wonder and being nominated for a GRAMMY was a massive thing for us." The Jonas Brothers also shared that they live by a Ray Charles quote: "I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great."
Following the discussion, Nick and Kevin Jonas took the stage, followed by Bullwinkle the moose. Joe Jonas, who performs each soundcheck in a different costume, sang all of "BB Good" before finally removing the moose head. The band also allowed one lucky student to join them onstage to play guitar and let her keep the signed instrument.
The students left the event with a greater understanding of the Jonas Brothers' career path and the production work behind a large-scale tour.